Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Practical Photoshop

Adobe recently released a brand-new 3D editing tool. ‘Project Felix’ is designed to simplify the process of compositing 3D objects in 2D photos. As such, it’s ideal for beginners to 3D, or those who want to mock up a quick design with minimum fuss. At the moment it’s available as a beta version to anyone with an Adobe CC subscription package, so why not download it and have a play? Here are some of the key features… ADDING 3D MODELS 01 The Assets tab houses a range of free 3D models to try out. It’s a rather random selection of shapes, but useful for those just getting started. If you want more models, download them from Adobe Stock, or add your own with File > Import. MAN IPULATING THE SHAPE…

watch the video http://tiny.cc/ixupiy AUTOMATE YOUR WORKFLOW WITH OUR FREE ACTIONS Retouching can be quite monotonous, so anything that helps speed things up is great. If you perform the same tasks over and over, open the Actions panel (Window > Actions), make a new action and click Record. Then simply play the action back on any other image to automate the process, or go to File > Automate > Batch to run it on a folder of images. We’ve included a set of useful retouching actions with our project start file. As well as actions that automate the methods described here, you’ll also find others for everyday retouching tasks like boosting eyes, whitening teeth or sharpening lashes. To load them, click the flyout menu at the top right of the…

01 ND FILTER KIT You need a strong ND filter to achieve super-long exposures – at least 10 stops if you want to shoot in the daytime. The Formatt-Hitech Firecrest ND set we used includes 10-, 13- and 16-stop NDs. 02 EXPOSU RE CALCULATOR Each stop of light blocked with an ND filter doubles the exposure time. That’s a lot of math for 13 stops, so make life easy with an exposure calculator – like this one in the excellent PhotoPils app. 03 VIEWFINDER BLOCKER If you leave the viewfinder open during a really long exposure, you run the risk of light leaking in. Use a viewfinder blocker (there’s usually one attached to your strap) or apply a piece of black tape to cover it up. 04 TIDE CHECKER High…

watch the video http://tiny.cc/kntpiy If you’re looking for fresh ways to combine text and images, give this technique a go. Blending a word, phrase or quote with an image can have all sorts of uses, from stylish poster designs to internet memes. This method also offers a good introduction to clipping masks, which confine the contents of one layer to the shape of the layer below. This lets you instantly blend images with text and other shapes, which comes in handy for all kinds of designs. They also work well with adjustment layers: these normally work by filtering all the layers below them – but if you ‘clip’ the adjustment, it only affects the layer directly below, so you can apply non-destructive tonal changes to individual layers. PROJECT INFO You’ll…

watch the video http://tiny.cc/pltpiy We photographers often obsess about detail, sharpness and resolution – but simplicity can be just as powerful. By paring down your images to the barest elements, you can create beautiful, minimalist artwork. In this project we’ll show you how to set up and shoot long exposures, then strip out color for a gorgeous monochrome finish. Few things highlight the magic of photography more than a long exposure. When you stretch out the shutter speed to several seconds, or even minutes, any motion in the scene is recorded as beautiful silky blur. The ability it gives you to present everyday scenes in a completely different way can be hugely effective. It gives them a surreal, calm quality that goes hand-in-hand with the minimalist approach. Seas are a…

01 WHAT TO LOOK FOR A strong focal point is the single most important thing, so look for interesting details that stand alone, like a single post, a pier or building surrounded by moving water or clouds; there’s no point shooting long exposures unless there’s movement in the frame! 02 BANISH LIGHT LEAKS Often showing as purple patches, light leaks are the enemy of longexposure photography. The two main leakage points are the viewfinder and the filter fixing, so as well as covering up the viewfinder, use a good-quality filter set with tight, light-blocking seals. 03 FIND THE SWEET SPOT There’s often a temptation to use narrow apertures, like f/16 or f/22, to extend the depth of field. But all lenses have a sweet spot, usually around f/5.6 to f/8.…

Photoshop has many types of layers and adjustment layers available, but there are six that you’ll find you need to use again and again. Learning how they should be used may seem a little daunting for beginners, but once you’ve got to grips with them, you’ll find they play a part in the creative process of almost every image you make. 01 LEVELS This should be the first layer you add to an image, because it fundamentally alters the tonal range of the entire image. Create a Levels Adjustment Layer, drag the Black Point slider inwards until it touches the lefthand edge of the histogram, and drag the White Point slider inwards to the right-hand edge. This remaps the tones of the image to make more of the available tonal…

Unless you want all your portraits to be full-length, you’ll need to crop into the body. But choosing the right place to make your incisions can be the difference between a professional-looking portrait and an awkward mess. Of course, the best way to crop is to compose perfectly with your camera. This’ll give you the highest resolution possible and save time cropping later. But often when shooting people - especially more tricky subjects like children - there’s simply no time to frame everything perfectly. In fact, framing a little loosely when shooting portraits may give you more options later when it comes to cropping in Photoshop, especially if the intended output is a different aspect ratio like an 8x10 or square. Over the next few pages we’ll explore the key…

watch the video http://tiny.cc/vptpiy 01 VIBRANCE Found either in Camera Raw’s Basic panel, or as an Adjustment Layer in Photoshop, the Vibrance command is perfectly suited to portraits. Look at the difference between these two adjustments. In the top image, Vibrance is set to 70; in the bottom, Saturation is set to 70. Notice how Vibrance affects the less-saturated colors more, while Saturation affects all the colors uniformly. As such, Vibrance is useful for portraits, as it allows you to add impact and punch to your images without pushing the dominant colors – usually the skin colors – too far. 02 S-CURVE Straight out of camera, portraits can often lack punch and contrast. A simple S-curve can work wonders. Open the Curves command (either press Ctrl/Cmd+M in Photoshop or add…

01 REMOVING SPOTS AND STRAY HAIRS The Spot Healing Brush removes spots and stray hairs. It’s particularly effective when the mark is against a clear and simple backdrop – like spots on skin. Click the Create New Layer icon in the Layers panel, then set the tool to Sample All Layers in the tool options. Use the ] and [ keys to resize the brush tip as you paint over marks, blemishes and stray hairs. For frizzy hair, try softening the edges with negative Clarity and Sharpness using the Adjustment Brush. 02 SOFTEN LINES The Clone tool is probably the best retouching option in Photoshop. It’s perfect for toning down shadowy patches, rough skin or lines. Simply make a new layer and press S for the tool. Set the tool…

01 USE A STURDY TRIPOD Attach your camera firmly to a sturdy tripod and ensure it’s stable: you need it to stay still for entire minutes, so any movement at all will ruin the shot. If it’s windy out, weigh down the tripod – you could attach your camera bag to the hook under the centre column. 02 CABLE RELEASE Before you attach any ND filters, take a test shot. Use Aperture Priority and ISO 100 with an aperture of f/11 or narrower. Focus on your subject, switch to Manual focus to lock it, then take a shot. Take note of the shutter speed – 1/60 sec at f/11 in our shot. 03 FIRE AWAY Now attach your neutral-density filter to the lens. Here we’re using Formatt-Hitech’s Firecrest filter holder…

watch the video Download the project files here http://tiny.cc/xj0piy on your pc or mac 01 CONVERT TO MONO Navigate to the image in Adobe Bridge, then right-click it and choose Open In Camera Raw from the pop-up menu. Make any basic changes you like to the tones. Next, head to the HSL/ Grayscale Panel. Check Monochrome, then use the color sliders to alter the brightness of each color range if you wish. When you’re done, click Open. 02 SELECT THE AREAS Next you need to make separate selections for all the main areas of the image. Here we’ve selected the sky, the wooden beams and the sea. Begin by painting with the Quick Selection tool, then improve the selection by using Select > Select and Mask. Once each selection is…